A weekend at Zhuji with two of my students

Hi and before you jump to any conclusions. Yes they are my students and we went to visit one(Shirley) parents. And grand parents as it turned out. This place is Zhuji (pronounced Jew gee). It is about 1+ hrs from Shaoxing by bus. So considered local. The get two students Shirley and Daisy went to great lengths to make me welcome. It was a good weekend. The grandparents were great and the food was excellent. And they kept filling my beer bowl up and up. lucky you cannot get drunk on chinese beer. Anyway after we arrived we met the parents and family. Then we went by car to the g/parents place for the lunch. More family. For a country that has a one child policy there are a whole lot of them. Actually few families have one child. Complicated but they are allowed to have more than one.
Back to the story ... So we had the lunch and food and hospitality was great. Lots of nodding and smiling. Little (actually none) english spoken at this household. I felt welcome tho and was happy to be there.
We then went to a mountain name unknown. But it is said that it looks like a lion resting. And yes we climbed the squillion steps up there. by the way I am losing weight. no scales here but my clothes are falling off me. So there are steps and caves and stuff here at this place. We do it all (me and Daisy and Shirley). And then we find a team building place there. And it has lots of stuff but i decide to try the climb the poles and step across each to jump off the highest and catch the ball. Shit it was high even if I had a harness on. for a while they dont pull the harness up tight so you feel lke you are free to fall ... bit scarey. Any pic attached.
Shirley's parents business is a roller skating rink. mmm not as we know it tho. It was a room not all that big. Maybe one sixth size of normal skating rink with posts still in it (maybe 6 or 8). and I have to have a go. I have skatted before. But not for a long time. I tried to get on the rink and almost went ass up. All the chinese thought was very funny. Silly foreigner. Anyway I stayed on the side and safe while the others zoomed around the posts and rink. good to watch actually. Bit like the old roller derby's that used to be on TV. Oh yeah they had pool tables there and so after dinner I played with Shirleys uncle (maybe 10 games). he was good and it was raffeties rules. So after I beat him ... then we went skating. At the end of the night I am staying in a hotel. Just no room for me in their place. So we go across the street and "dad" books me in. Nice place and new very modern and cheap. Very cheap as he wont let me pay. But I can see the room rates and it was cheap. but I am happy I have my room and it is clean and new. the girls stayed for a while and we wnet down the street and got some street BBQ and drinks and went back to the room to consume. All was good. When they left I had the room to myself. Not so bad really. Next day was a just routine. We met about 10am and said our goodbyes and got on the bus and back to Shaoxing. All good really. I think they expect me to go back again. Maybe I will ...

Houshan Mountain

Back again
doing my best to catch up now on some of these places have been to. Like just about every place we go to there is a temple and yes, it is always on top of a mountain. Yep this is no different. the college took us there as a group a while back. The day was a bit shitty weather wise but the place was good. as they all are.
Also it is famous for the peach blossoms trees on the side of the mountain. See the pics. There was also a great waterfall and lagoon. Lots of people as usual even if the day was average. I did something stupid by pretending to be spiderman. pic attached. oh yeah and also the usual bunch of kids who want their foto taken with a foreigner. Happy to oblige altho is the same for all of us. Only place I have been where people just openly stare at you as you walk down the street. it's like a freak show is in town.... just have to get used to it.

Shaoxing is not exactly at the top of the China tourist "must see" list, so there are foreigners here but not that many.
Anyway I am back on the blog case .. .enjoy
zai jian

Around the college ...

A walk around the college precinct ... market lane + the village opposite

Hi
I have some time now I have my computer problems mostly sorted....
We went for a walk recently across the road and down the market lane and on and on .. some interesting sites.

there was a ceremony on and even Lily did not know what it was about. Some locals also did not know. Lots of large candles and music and firworks and old people. See the pics.

We walked on and found a pool table in a "garage" in the middle of some village. I think there are alot of factories and it is amusement for the workers. Just strange to see where it was.

Also makes you appreciate how good we have it in Oz.

see the pics ... more to follow

Xianglu Mountain ...

Hi again
yes, I have been slack with the new posts so here we go. I will put several up asap.

It seems with all the sites to see here that climbing mountains is required. Xianglu mountain and temple is right across the street from Yuexiu College south entrance. I have done it twice now. Once awhile ago with some students and then again last Saturday on an officially sponsored event by the Local Gov.

There are about 1000+ steps I think although did not count them. With the we went up one way thru some temples and to another bigger temple at the top. It was hard work but lots of stops on the way for pictures and rest. And the students needed to rest. Not me of course. I am trim taut and terrific.

There are a number of temples at the base where locals can pray. I did not, well yes I did make an offering so I could make a wish. All part of the custom it seems. At the top is where the main temple is. The view is great and the weather was kind to us. It was cool but no rain. And no heat which would make it very hard work.

Last Saturday was a official day and only three of us from the college were in it. Although there were 1200+ people doing the climb. This time we went up a different way to the Da Yu temple. Da Yu is a very famous person from Shaoxing's history. He conquered the floods and built all the canals that are still here today. ABout 3000 years ago?

So here are a couple of pic's of both ways and some of the key people in the pic's are the student english club(to many to mention names) and student Samantha(english name), organiser of the club.

And in the other pics. The start of the Da Yu walk on Sat with a million chinese(names unknown) and the other 2 teachers from Yuexiu (Ronald and Tim).

zai jian

watch this space ...